These famous caves were were
dwelling sites during prehistoric times, and are listed as UNESCO
World heritage sites.

The aerial view shows the site from
the west. The visitors center occupies the white round structures,
with a parking lot on its south side. Behind it, in the center, is
Nahal Ma'arot
(the caves creek). On the right (south) side is the cliff where the
four prehistoric caves are located.

The photo shows an aerial view of the site from the west,
as captured by a quadcopter. On the top of the hill a set of caves
can be seen, and just beneath it the walls of the fortress. In the
center right the Romans built the ramp in order to crush the walls.

On the south-west side of the Arbel cliffs, inside
the modern agriculture Moshav Arbel, are ruins of a Roman/Byzantine period
village scattered along the hillside. A grand Byzantine period synagogue was
excavated there in 1905 by the archaeologists H. Kohl and C. Watzinger. New
excavations (2012) were conducted in the area of the synagogue.

This aerial view is of March 2014, with a
scaffolding on the monumental door, and new trenches on the south side.

An aerial view, as captured by
a quadcopter in May 2014 from the south side, is seen in the
following photo. A road traverses the hill from its west side,
passing near a large cave. An Israeli flag is located on the top, as
in all ancient sites of Karmiel.

5. Wadi Hamam, Arbel

A Roman period synagogue was excavated recently in Khirbet
Veradim, on the south side of the village of Wadi el-Hamam.

This mound, identified as the
Biblical city of Khali (Joshua 19:25), is located in the
entrance to the Zippori valley. It is a round hill (133M height, 700
sq M). On the top of the hill is a flat terrace (size), which was the center
of the fortified small city.

The site was one of the agriculture villages
that were under the protection of the fortified city of Khali. It is located in
the valley south west of Tel West Khali, and was a small farming village. The pottery in this site is from
the late Israelite and Persian period.

For a video clip, which
was captured by the quad-copter above Kh. Govit, view it on
Youtube.

The next picture is an
aerial view of Tel Zavat, as seen from the west side (captured Feb 2014).
On top of the ancient site are several modern residential houses. In the
left and right backgrounds are sections of the new Kerioth-Bypass highway.

This was one of the many sites along the ancient
coastal highway. According to archaeological survey, the majority of the
findings are from the Israelite period through the Byzantine period.

The Ottomans built a large
fortified Khan in the 16th C, which served as a hostel for the caravans that
passed through the Holy Land. An aerial view, as captured from a
quadcopter from the west side, is seen here.

Excavations in the Egyptian Governor's
residence, seen below in an aerial view from the north side, are from the
Late Bronze Age (1,550-1,200 BC).

An Odeon mini-theater was excavated and reconstructed on
the side of the Roman Cardo:

The photo
below shows a southwest
view of Tel Avdon. The hill rises
70M above the Kziv creek with a very steep slope. This was the
location of Biblical Levite city of Avdon or Abdon (Joshua
21: 3, 30): "And the children of Israel gave unto the
Levites out of their inheritance, at the commandment of the LORD,
these cities and their suburbs.... And out of the tribe of Asher, Mishal with her suburbs, Abdon with her suburbs".

A
quadcopter view above the road on the south side of Khirbet Suggar,
located south of Kziv stream. Traces of the ruins of the
Roman/Byzantine village cover the hill. A rectangular walled area,
which was an ancient sheepfold, is seen in the center.
The Kziv stream flows just after the hill. Across it, on top of a
steep hill, are the ruins of the Biblical city
Avdon. In the far left background is the
Mediterranean Sea, and the mountain of the "ladder of Tyre" (Sulam-Tzor)
is seen in the far left background.

Hannathon was an important Biblical city
in the heart of the lower Galilee, on the junction of ancient crossroads.

An aerial view, as captured by a
quad copter, was viewed from the west side. The top of the hill is at 196m above sea level,
about 50m above the valley around it. To the east of the site is a
reservoir lake of the national water channel. Behind it, in the far
background, is Sepphoris. Further
east is Nazareth.

Khirbet Shimshit is a Roman/Byzantine village 3KM
south-west to Sepphoris, on a hill overlooking the Zippori creek. A
Roman road passed at its western foothills, the main road from
Sepphoris to the south.

The site of Ashdod Maritime (Hebrew: Ashdod Yam) is
located on the coast, and served as the city's harbour since the
Iron Age (8th Century BC). The harbour continued to
function through the Hellenistic and Roman-Byzantine period (renamed Azotus),
up to the Crusader period.

A 7th Century citadel was constructed on the north side,
used by the Muslim rulers and the Crusaders to protect the harbour.

To the south of the Citadel is the Roman and Israelite
mound, yet covered by the sand dunes.

An
Iron age agriculture settlement was excavated in Izbet Zartta, a small hill on the western hills of Samaria close
to the ancient city of Aphek (Antipatris). It is
identified as Ebenezer ("Stone of Help"), the place where the
Israelites camped during their fatal battle with the Philistines (1 Samuel 4 1): "Now Israel went out against the Philistines to battle, and
pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek".

This village is on the northern side of Sea of Galilee, and was the center
of the activities of Jesus and his town during that time. A grand 4th C
Ad Synagogue was excavated, which stood over the Synagogue from the time
of Jesus.

Tel Afek (in the Galilee) is a
Biblical city on the ancient Via Maris road, south of Acre. On
the north side are ruins from the Hellenistic/Roman periods, a
two-story fortified building, and a flour mill dated to the Crusader
and Ottoman periods.

In the north-east side of Tel Afek is the Ein Afek nature park. The
30 springs of Afek are the sources of the Na'aman river.

This view shows the ruined Crusaders fortress, north of the Roman
city.

The next view shows the north side of the ruins of the Roman
city, adjacent to the Crusaders fortress.

A grand entertainment place was built during the
Roman period by Herod - a large Hippodrome in the shape of a long "U"
(50 X 250M), with 10,000 seats in 12 rows. In this amphitheater
the Romans conducted horse races (Hippo in Greek), special events, and games.

A large Roman theater, also built by Herod the Great, is
located at the southern side of the city.

Abel Beth Maacah is an important
Canaanite and Israelite city in the northern part of Israel,
situated on a large mound. This was the city where Sheba son of
Bichri has hidden during his mutiny against king David. Abel was
destroyed twice - by the Syrians in the 9th Century and by the
Assyrians in the 8th Century BC. New excavations started in
2013 have started to unravel its secrets. An aerial view from
the northwest side of Tel Abel Beth Maacah:

Another view from the north east:

You can also watch the above views as part of YouTube videos:
West and
East.

Tell Ya'anin is identified as Biblical Neiel (Joshua
19: 24-27): "And the fifth lot came out for the
tribe of the children of Asher ... And their border was ... and Neiel,
and goeth out to Cabul on the left hand". This aerial view shows the
ancient mound from its south side. Traces of the ancient structures
are seen close on the summit and on the upper level of the
foothills. Behind the hill is the valley of the Hilazon stream.

In Tel Gamma, located on the bend of the Besor brook,
are ruins of an ancient Canaanite. This city is identified as Yurza,
a city referred in the conquest of pharaoh Thutmose III (reigned
1479-1425 BC). The city was an important trading post on the caravan
route from the Mediterranean to Arabia, and one of the Philistine
cities during the Iron Age.

Tell Kedesh in the Upper Galilee is composed of an an ancient mound
(with North and South hills) and a lower east hill, with a
spring in the center. A large Persian/Hellenistic Administration Building ("PHAB")
was excavated on the south most side of the mound.

The ruins of this period are
located on the eastern Tell Kedesh, a low hill on the north-east
side of the ancient Biblical city. Ruins
of a Roman temple, dated
to the 2nd and 3rd C AD, are located on the southern side of the
eastern mound. This aerial view shows the plan of the temple
from the east side.

This famous site is situated on the
gateway on the road linking North and South of Israel, about 30 Km
south-east of Haifa. The archeologists uncovered 26 layers of
ancient cities, starting before the bronze age (4000 BC) until the Greeks
(4th C BC).

1 Kings 9-15: "And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build
the house of the LORD, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of
Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer."

This photo is an eastern view of the
city of Haifa, its port and the bay of Haifa. The Kishon river, which flows
here into the bay of Haifa, is one of the largest
in Israel. Its drainage
basin includes an area over 1000 square KM, where one third of this
area is in the
Jezreel valley. Prophetess Deborah sang the famous song after the victory
over Sisra: (Judges 5 21): "The river of Kishon swept them away,
that ancient river, the river Kishon".

The site was one of Zebulun tribe
cities. An aerial view of the site was captured from the north side by a quad
copter drone. Yiftach-El brook is on the right side, flowing to the south into the
Zippori brook towards the far background.

The ancient city is actually covered by
this large green field. During the Bronze Age its structures were spread out
to the east of the brook. A small section of its "upper city", which is the
only visible ruins today, is located in the group of trees behind the modern
water pump.

In Kh.
Seraf (Semah), located in the Western Upper Galilee, are remains of
an ancient multi-level Tel. Another Roman/Byzantine village, Ramah, was
established on its east side. This aerial view shows Betzet creek, while
the ancient sites are on the hills above its south (right) bank.

The
ruins of the White Mosque (Arabic: Jamia el Arbain
Meghazi), also known as the mosque of the 40 Champions, are located
in Dani Maas street, Ramla. It was built in several phases, during
the Umayyad, Ayyubid and Mameluke periods. The drone view
shows the Minaret tower and ruins from the north side.

This is a south-west view of
the ancient city. Beit Shearim (Besara) is located on the summit.
On the left (north) corner in the background is the location of the national
park of Beit Shearim, with its famous catacombs. On the right is a new section
of the catacombs.

Lod (Lydda) is a historic city,
starting from a Canaanite city situated along two major roads in the
heart of the Country. The birth and burial place of the famous St.
George, an early Christian Martyr who inspired the Crusaders and
Christian World.

This drone view shows the
center of Lod from the north side. The Church of St. George is located to
the left side of the minaret of its adjacent mosque.

An impressive 19th Century Khan (inn, caravansary) located
near St. George.

A major fortified Canaanite
and Israelite fortified city, one of the famous Biblical cities. This view
is over the ruins of the Israelite period city, with the city gate
("Solomon's gate") with its 6 chambers on the right side.

Ruins of a Franciscan
chapel on a south hill near Mt Precipice. It was named after the
traditional site where Mary, mother of Jesus, stood when her son was about
to be thrown from the hill. The chapel overlooks Mt Precipice (left
background) and the south side of Nazareth (right background).

The fortress of Migdal Afek
controlled the narrow pass of Via Maris ("Way of the Sea"), located near its
location. Remains of settlements spanning from the Roman to the Ottoman
periods are located in the National Park.

Tel Regev was a biblical fortified city that was one of the passing
points across the Kishon river. Its history spanned from the Early bronze
age to the Byzantine period. It belonged to the Asher tribe, but its
identification is not certain.

Ruins of a biblical
city on the east of Mount Carmel. Identified with Khelkat, the
southern city in the region of Asher. Two major Biblical events happened
here, or close to the site - Elijah
slaughters the Baal prophets (1 Kings 18): "...and Elijah
brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there") and the Battle of
Deborah (Judges 4): "But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host,
unto Harosheth of the Gentiles: and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of
the sword; and there was not a man left".

Tel Yokneam stands in the entrance of a mountain
pass, an important city in Biblical times (Joshua 12, 22: "...king
of Jokneam in Carmel"). It was fortified in later periods, including
Crusaders period as seen in this photo.

Ruins of an Iron age site, in
the hills above the plain of Cabul in the Western Galilee. An 11th-8th C BC Phoenician fortress, regional
administrative center, military post and agriculture village. The site may be
identified with the Biblical Cabul from the times of King Solomon. 1 Kings 9:11,13: "King Solomon gave Hiram twenty
cities in the land of Galilee...And they were called the land of Cabul, unto this day"

Lachish was the second most important fortified city in the kingdom
of Judea, after Jerusalem. It guarded a main road from Egypt to
Jerusalem. Lachish is referred in many Biblical accounts,
including the Assyrian and Babylonian campaigns when Lachish was a
key city for the conquest of the Judean Kingdom.

The
highlights of the visit to the ruins of the city include the
Assyrian siege ramp, the base of the Judean palace-fort, and the
gate complex - all of them are seen in this south west photo.

A view from the
east side of the Tel is in the following aerial view. New excavations are
conducted now (July 2015) on the eastern walls, as seen near the large
green tent. A new gate, first unearthed in the 2014 season, is the focus of
this season.

Tel Yaaf is a Biblical site located
east to Rosh-Pinna, on the route of the ancient road to Syria.
An aerial view from the south east side is shown here. On the left
side is the higher south hill, while on the right is the lower hill.
The modern village of Rosh-Pinna is in the far background.

This photo,
captured by a drone, shows the summit and foothills of Khirbet Beer Sheba from
the south side (near highway #85). The Zalmon creek is in the center, 130m
below the height of the summit. This steep descent gave the hill a great
natural defense, which is why Josephus fortified the village during the great
revolt. Josephus Wars 3 3 1: "...as far as Bersabe, from which
beginning also is taken the breadth of the Upper Galilee"

The hills is the background are in the
Upper Galilee region, while the foreground is part of the Lower Galilee.

The ruins of a village from the Israelite
period, famous with its holy rock-cut tombs of distinguished Jewish Rabbis
starting from the Byzantine period.

A western view of the ruins of Kefar
Hannania was captured by a drone at late summer. Highway #85
is located on its south side. In the far right background,
southeast of the site, is the modern communal settlement of Kfar
Hananya, established in 1977 and named after the ancient site.

This
YouTube
aerial video starts from a view of the western side of Kefar Hannania,
then turns around to show Tel Beer Sheba and continue a full turn to show the
area around the site.

Ruins of a large Biblical city, located at a junction of
major ancient crossroads in the Jezreel valley. Joshua 12: 1, 20: "Now these are the kings of the land, whom the
children of Israel smote, and possessed their land...
the king of Shimron-meron, one;"

The drone captured this photo from
the south west side. The ancient city occupied the entire hill, while the
"upper city" was located on the summit. The white rectangles on the
hillside are the foundations of the abandoned immigrant camp (Ma'abara). Its
temporary residents were relocated in 1954 to the city of Migdal Haemek.

The modern houses of Timrat are seen in
the upper right background.

Date of Photo: July 2015

Another drone view, from the north west
side, is in the following photo. The fertile Jezreel valley can be seen on the
right background.

Yizreel was a major Biblical city,
located on the ancient trade route. It was the northern capital of the Kingdom
of Israel, and appears in several Biblical accounts such as the wicked Queen
Jezebel (1 Kings 21:23): "The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the
wall of Jezreel".

Sarid was one of Zebulun cities, and located in the
Jezreel valley. (Joshua 19: 10): "And the third lot
came up for the children of Zebulun according to their families; and the
border of their inheritance was unto Sarid."

Beit Shean was a major Biblical
city, located in the center of major trade routes. (1 Kings 4 7-12): "And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel...
Baana the son of Ahilud; to him pertained ... all Bethshean, which
is by Zartanah beneath Jezreel".
The Hellenistic city, Scythopolis, was established near its
ruins and became a major city until its destruction in the 8th C.

This drone view captured the
north east side of Beit Shean. The Biblical Tel is seen behind the valley of
the Harod stream. To its left are the ruins of the Roman/Byzantine city, which
was accessed from a great bridge seen here on the bottom left side.

Ruins of a Biblical city on a high rising hill on
the western Judea foothills region. This may be the place of the
Biblical city of Kesalon (Chesalon), which fits the description of
the Judea cities in the book of Joshua. Joshua
15:10: "And the border ... passed along unto the side of mount
Jearim, which is Chesalon...".

Remains of a large Biblical
city located in an area where the western foothills of Hebron meet
the Judean low hills. The site is identified by most scholars as Eglon, a city which fought against the Israelites as part
of the 5 Amorite kings
coalition. Recent excavations revealed
sections of the Canaanite and Israelite city which was destroyed by
the Assyrians at the end of the 8th Century BC.

A Mausoleum, dated to the
Hellenistic and Roman periods, is one of the oldest standing
structures in Israel. The structure is situated close to the
Via Maris cross road, near the modern settlement of El'ad and Moshav
Mazor. The Mausoleum, a monumental structure enclosing a tomb,
later commemorated John the Baptist (and named by locals as Neby Yahyah - St. John).

Ubeidiya is a major archaeological
site located near the Jordan River, 3KM south west of the Sea of
Galilee. Remains of Early Man were identified near the mound, and
are one of the earliest settlements of Homo Erectus (an early Human
specie) outside of Africa.

On Tell Ubeidiya was a walled
Biblical city, perhaps Beth Shemesh ("house of sun") of the Galilee.
Some clerics regarded this area as "the garden of Eden".

This view is from the south
side, with the Jordan river on the right side.

Belvoir fortress is an impressive Crusaders fortress above the
northern Jordan valley. Built in 1168 by the Hospitallers order, it
withstood a year and a half siege of Saladin's forces. Today
the reconstructed fortress is a must-see National park of Kokhav HaYarden.
This view is from the west side, with the Jordan valley in the
background.

Ruins of a multi-period Biblical city located on an
isolated hill above the highway #6 cross-Israel tunnel. Due to
its strategic location along major roads, the city was fortified and
played an important role in history of the Judean and Hasmonean
Kingdoms.

Ezra 2:1,33: "...came again unto
Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city; ... The children of Lod,
Hadid, and Ono...".

The Carmelites are a Catholic order of monks, one of the oldest in
the Holy Land, and named after Mount Carmel. In about 1200
their first church (St. Brocardus) was built in the Siah (Siach, Siakh) brook
which is located on
the western slopes of mount Carmel. After the Arabs defeated the
Crusaders, they were butchered and their church was destroyed.
The survivors later emigrated to Europe, returned only in the
17th C to another area in Mount Carmel - Stella Maris.

The old city of Acre (Akko) is a large
walled city on the shores of the bay of Haifa. As the largest natural port
in the Galilee and Israel, it has a long history of conquests and
ruling empires. It was one of the main Crusaders'
fortifications and ports.

An aerial view, captured by a drone 100m above the north east
corner of the old city, is seen in the picture. The old port of Acre is on the
far left side. Behind, in the background, is the bay of Haifa and Mount
Carmel. In the center of the view if the new Acre hostel. On both left and
right margins are the city walls and moat, with the entrance bridge located
above the moat on the right side.

The city of Akko (Acre) original site in
the Biblical times was several KM east of the old city of Acre. The site,
the Tel (mound) of Akko, was one of the important port cities in the
ancient world, situated on the northern gate to Israel.

Loz Cisterns is an archaeological
site in Negev Highland area. In this area, north west of Makhtesh
Ramon, are 17 ancient water cisterns. They are dated to the
Israelite period, perhaps constructed during the times of King
Solomon or King Uzziah.

Ruins of a huge fortress dated to the
Crusaders and Mamluke periods, on a high hill above the city of
Zefat.

The aerial view shows the south
west side of the hill. On this side are the main visible
fortifications, including the south gate. The lower section of the
gate and the upper section on the summit are Mamluke ruins, while
the middle range are walls from the Crusaders period.